MIDDLETOWN –The Mobile Vet Center (MVC) of Lakewood now is offering offers weekly counseling and outreach services in the township.
VFW Post 2179, located on Route 36, is hosting the MVC in its parking lot on Thursdays, thanks to a partnership made possible through the Middletown Veterans Affairs Committee.
Vet centers provide counseling services to combat veterans and veterans who experience sexual trauma while on active duty. They also can provide services to the family members of these veterans as well as family members of those who have fallen while on active duty. The MVC is staffed by a counselor and an outreach specialist.
“We are trying to bring services closer to the veterans,” said Daria Pampaloni, LCSW, the team leader for the Lakewood Vet Center. “We provide services to veterans in Monmouth and Ocean County but, Lakewood can be a long trip if a veteran doesn’t have a car or if they need to hire a babysitter. We’re trying to bring the services closer to those who need us.”
Because the MVC is a multipurpose vehicle, it will continue to fulfill its mission to provide outreach services at events around the state. Post 2179 provides a private office so the counselor can continue to meet with veterans and their families if the mobile counseling center is not available on a Thursday.
Interested veterans can contact 908-607-6364 to set up an appointment.
